Sudan : Child Deaths On The Rise

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN Refugee Agency, and the World Health Organisation have warned about the worsening health situation of children caused by the ongoing civil war in the country between the military and the Rapid Support Forces. In a joint press statement on Tuesday, September 19, 2023 the UN agencies in Sudan’s White Nile State, said more than 1,200 refugee children under five have died in nine camps in the period between May 15 and September 14, 2023, due to a deadly combination of a suspected measles outbreak and high malnutrition. The UNHCR also said over 3,100 suspected cases were reported in the same period and more than 500 suspected cases of cholera have been reported in other parts of the country, along with outbreaks of dengue and malaria, in a context of increased epidemic risk and challenges for epidemic control.
Health facilities are at breaking point, due to shortages of staff, life-saving medicine and critical equipment, exacerbating current outbreaks and causing unnecessary deaths. Repeated attacks on health since the beginning of the conflict, including on personnel, patients and transportation of medical supplies, are also restricting the delivery of health services. “Local health workers, with the help of WHO and partners, are doing all they can, in very difficult conditions. But they desperately need the support of the international community to prevent further deaths and the spread of outbreaks”, said WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus. “We call on dono...